did ed from larchmont quit the church?
Or is he in rome this week??

I think you meant to say lack of indigenous respect. Spain demolished those ancient cultures mercilessly. As they did almost everywhere they went.

And why exactly is this story worth non-stop news coverage and discussion?

it’s doubtful that the church of rome can have healthy sexual attitudes as long they ask priests to live in an unnatural state.

To the caller railing against Pope Francis' stance against gay adoption. The Church doesn't change to suit its members - you're thinking of the protestants.

Let's hear from some women leaders of the Catholic movement, please.

The Catholic church will only become more narrow and conservative feeling even more justified in their beliefs and discrimination as the new Pope, being intellectual and sincere, will use old Catholic dogma and Biblical scripture. Because he is viewed as such a ascetic and genuine Catholic, in action as well as doctrine, it will be more damaging and dangerous to the rights of the non-Catholics and others whom the Church rejects due to the lack of taint of cynicism and even pragmatism. In essence, he is a fanatic.

Has the new Pope said which saint he was honoring by choosing the name "Francis"? Was it specifically Francis of Assisi, not Francis Xavier (a Jesuit), or is that just an assumption?

Not only Mahoney, but Law, Dolan inter alia. These are all complicit in sexual abuse of minors. And where is Law formerly of Boston now? He's is in Rome at one of the most magnificent Papal Basilicas in the city, Santa Maria Maggiore, the older basilica in Rome and where Francis went to pray today, his first visit as pope. Card. Bernard Law should be renamed Lawless and thrown into jail.

Funny how these fans of Francis are so knowledgeable about how "blessed" and "humble" he is, but are completely unaware of his complicity in the Juntas crimes. This guy is more evil than Ratzinger: Bergoglio supported the military junta that disappeared 30,000 between 1976 and 1983 in Argentina. Bergoglio withdrew his order's protection of the two men after they refused to stop visiting the slums, which ultimately paved the way for their capture. Both of the abducted clergymen survived five months of imprisonment. Also senior Buenos Aires clerics were implicated in an attempt by the navy to hide political prisoners from human rights inspectors. "History condemns him," Fortunato Mallimacci, the former dean of social sciences at the Universidad de Buenos Aires, once said. "It shows him to be opposed to all innovation in the church and above all, during the dictatorship, it shows he was very cozy with the military."

Robert from NYC ~

exactly!

A new Pope, so what!

don’t get too excited with thoughts of jesuit reform, i just see another old white guy. this one was in bed with the dictators during the dirty war. he’ll conform to the wishes of the bureaucracy. Nothing will change as long as people keep giving money to the largest real estate corp in the world.

...on the other hand, when you have guys like Archbishop Roger M. Mahony who was relieved of his public duties by his successor for shielding pedophile priests participating in the election process, does it really surprise you that they elected a fellow criminal to their highest post.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/priestabuse/

When do we relegate this corrupt institution to the dust bin of history?!?!?!

Journalist Horacio Verbitsky claims that Bergoglio had helped ex-general Jorge Videla hide political prisoners from a human rights commission.

Wouldn't you think that this accusation should be cleared-up before naming this guy Jesus' "personal appointee"!!?!?

I heard on BBC radio that the new pope wrote a book with a rabbi about tolerance, etc. If he really wants to talk the talk, he needs to root out the virulent anti-Semitism in South American seminaries. I went to a lecture in which a former seminary student from Brazil told all. After he was asked to leave the seminary for asking too many questions, he found out that his mother was Jewish; she didn't tell him until she was dying because she didn't want him to have a difficult life. Also, isn't this pope anti-gay? He may be "humble," but his views are definitely conservative. So I wonder what will really change. Also, Brian, I have a feeling that this pope was somehow involved in Argentina's Dirty War - in which about half the people disappeared were Jews, a known fact in Argentina. I am surprised the Cardinals didn't take this into consideration when electing this 76-year-old man who might have blood on his hands.

Not to put down John Hockenberry but fans of live radio may want to catch yesterday's 3pm 'The Takeaway'....First caller stated as fact that the new pope is an open homosexual. John fumfered through a response. The third caller made the statement that all Italian bishops are pedophiles - though from Argentina, the new pope is of Italian heritage - and John H fumfered again.

Looks to me like for the NY audience, it is matters of sex and how you handle it that matters most.